Confusion: scoping my ruger 10/22

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Smilin Steve

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Roughly six months ago I bought my first gun; a ruger 10/22. I have really enjoyed shooting it both outdoors and at the local range and I'm becoming more interested in shooting. I have absoloutly no experience with scopes and I need advice on how to go about getting what I need and attatching it to my gun. Would I be better off going into a gun store and letting them handle everything? Is this something I can do completely by myself with no experience? What do you need/how do you sight the scope in? Any information/recommendation on good mounts/scopes would be greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone!
 
It's simple enough to do it yourself, but I advise reading more about it before you decide on a scope and try to mount it.
You need a good quality rail and a pair of rings, try to avoid the see through bases and rings and the one piece mount+ring combination that Weaver makes, they don't work very well from my experience. For the 10/22 I suggest a Sightron a Simmons or a Bushnell Sportsman rimfire scope. I mounted a Bushnell Sportsman 3-9x32 on my 10/22 and it worked well. You should use blue loctite on the base screws to hold the base in place, most people will tell you that you don't need to use loctite on .22 bases, but I've had a base shoot loose after ~200rds, so it couldn't hurt. You should consider purchasing a boresighter, either laser or magnetic, it will greatly help you level the crosshairs and sight in the scope. I use a Leupold Zero Point boresighter, it was expensive, but it works well. When you place the scope into the ring saddles You can either cut a couple slots in a cardboard box or buy a sighting and maintenance center like the one MTM case-gard sells for $25. And always remember not to overtighten the screws that hold the top of the ring in place, It's really easy to damage some scope tubes by overtightening the ring screws. Hope this helps out.
 
No BSA.

Simmons 22 Mag Compact is a wonderful mate for the 10/22, for a good price (under $50). Mine's been flawless. Comes with rings.

Pay no attention to Ruger's admonishment not to use Loc-Tite to install the rail. Use it. But make sure there's none inside the receiver when you're done; you only need a little tiny bit on the threads. If you don't use Loc-Tite, the thing won't stay tight for more than a few hundred rounds. Blue works fine.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry about bore sighting it. Just start shooting at something close and dial it in.
 
I should also mention that I need something durable that I won't have to worry much about shifting and my price range is $150+. I'm mostly confused with what it takes to equip the scope/ what kind of mount is best/ and how to sight it in.
 
The gun comes with a scope mount. It's fine. It attaches with 4 screws. The scopes generally come with rings. They're fine, too. You can spend a lot of money on mounts and rings, but the 10/22 doesn't need them. Save your scope/mount money for a centerfire bolt action or something.

Sighting it in involves turning knobs; the scope comes with instructions. If you can shoot a gun without blowing your own balls off, you can do it. Fear not.

$150 is more than you have to spend. Again, a Simmons 22 Mag Compact scope works great for me, <$50 with rings. I have more expensive stuff on other guns; it's not that I don't know the difference. It's just that the Simmons really is a good deal, good light transmission, nice click adjustments, holds zero, and it's small enough not to make the gun into a top-heavy POS. Unless you have the heavy target 10/22, I don't recommend getting an enormous scope for the thing. If you do, you'll know why.

Just don't under any circumstances get a BSA scope, if you don't want a shifting zero.
 
I would avoid the temptation to go with too high a magnification. A .22 is not a long range gun, and 2.5x or 4x is plenty for 100-yard shooting (IMHO), and gives you a wider field of view.
 
Yes. Again, the Simmons 22 Mag Compact 4x has been a perfect mate for mine. I have a carbine with the old recessed synthetic stock.

If you have a rifle or target version, you can go with a full-sized scope, but there's no need, really.
 
One more thing...

Disassemble the gun and degrease the receiver before using the Loc-Tite!
 
Thanks so much everyone! This is beginning to seem far easier than I expected. I plan to order a scope shortly.
 
I prefer the Mini Mag (sorry, I thought it was called Compact).

This page shows pictures of all of them, with the top picture showing a full sized scope on a 10/22. Note that it barely seems to fit. I'm not too excited about their prices, but it's a useful picture.:)

http://www.gunaccessories.com/Simmons/22Mag.asp

The full sized one will probably give you a bit more light since it's got a slightly larger objective lens. It really is personal preference, but with the carbine 10/22, I prefer the smaller one. With the rifle versions, which have a longer buttstock and barrel, and weigh more, I'd probably go with the full sized scope.

Which 10/22 version do you have? (There are far too many)
 
Might as well get the larger scope, then. I wanted to keep this particular gun as compact as possible.

Perhaps you should wait for someone else to chime in, in case they don't agree with my opinions.:)

It's fun stuff, that 10/22.:)
 
Be sure to be carful when you tighten the base to the receiver. Ruger 1022 receivers are aluminium and it is very easy to strip the threads.
 
I have a VXII 4-12x40 on my 10-22. I like it because it makes head shots on rabbits and squirrels very easy at distances out to 50 yards. Infact, from a rest I can rapid fire all ten rounds into an empty cigarette pack at 50 yards so I am very happy with it!

You can pick up a nice 3-9x scope for under $100 and it will serve you well. You get the best of both worlds, the 3x for up close and personal, and the 9x for longer shots or more intricate work.
 
Get a Bushnell

Just get you a nice cheap little Bushnell 3 x 9 x 40, something like that. You have got a small bullet, get a good scope to look through. :scrutiny: Just IMOHO. :D
 
I first bought a cheap Simmons scope. I think it was $10-20. Then I got a Bushnell 4x32 rimfire scope which I've managed to do in (probably my fault). My dad has an old Bushnell centerfire 4x32 on a .22 with which I can hit pop cans at 100 yards, but I just wasn't impressed with my own Bushnell purchase.

Having done some research, I think I'm going to get a Nikon ProStaff 4x32 Rimfire and be done with it. They run about $100 and might be a good option for you, too.
 
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